Samyang Group KCI Develops 'EncapGuard' Technology to Enhance Skin Delivery Efficiency

Platform Technology Encapsulating Active Ingredients in Nano-sized Carriers
to Deliver Deep into the Skin

Samyang Group KCI has developed 'Encapguard,' a substance delivery technology for skincare. Photo by KCI

Samyang Group's cosmetics and personal care material specialist affiliate KCI recently announced on the 22nd that it has developed a skincare substance delivery technology called 'Encapguard' and launched delivery agents 'Encapguard Cera-S' and 'Encapguard Cera-LNP5' applying this technology.

Encapguard helps encapsulate active ingredients beneficial for skin improvement, such as anti-aging, elasticity enhancement, and pigmentation reduction, into nano-sized delivery agents, enabling safe delivery and activation to target areas without damage from external environments. It is a new platform technology that strengthens delivery by applying the drug delivery system (DDS) used in pharmaceuticals to cosmetics.

The newly introduced delivery agents, Encapguard Cera-S and Encapguard Cera-LNP5, which apply the Encapguard technology, mainly consist of ceramides that maintain moisture and act as a protective barrier on the skin. When the delivery agents pass through the stratum corneum, the ceramide capsules decompose and are absorbed, strengthening the skin barrier, and the active ingredients can reach the deepest basal layer of the epidermis, maximizing skin improvement effects.

The skin improvement effects of the two delivery agents were also confirmed through human application tests. In a skin penetration experiment comparing KCI’s two delivery agents and existing products after applying each for 12 hours, the experimental group using KCI’s delivery agents showed more active ingredients remaining in the skin compared to the group using existing products, and the difference increased over time. In particular, Encapguard Cera-S was found to deliver a small amount of active ingredients deeper, while Encapguard Cera-LNP5 was suitable for delivering a larger amount of active ingredients.

KCI is currently in discussions with domestic and international cosmetics companies to develop products applying the Encapguard technology. Additionally, to accommodate various uses, three types of delivery agents?Encapguard Cera-Cubosome, Encapguard Cera-Emulsion, and Encapguard Cera-Powder?will be additionally launched in the first quarter of next year, and various raw materials combining active ingredients such as antioxidants, vitamins, and peptides with delivery agents will be continuously developed.

Jinyong Lee, CEO of KCI, said, "Encapguard is a skincare solution technology that combines both efficacy and safety, and it will set a new standard in the high-functional cosmetics market. We will take the lead in developing specialty materials that overcome the limitations of existing cosmetic technologies and further solidify our position in the global skincare market."

KCI supplies cosmetics and personal care materials to over 120 consumer goods companies in 37 countries worldwide, including L’Oreal.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.